All students who need to ride a school bus to get to school and back home during the course of the school year must apply annually for ridership using the district's online Bus Application Form (one application).

Once processed and accepted, individual bus route information is shared ​with families through the My Ride K-12 website and App. See sign-up instructions here:  My Ride K12 Set Up FAQ.

The information you put on the bus pass application is the information we use to create the driver manifests for each route.  If you have a change in address or contact information, it is your responsibility to inform the school as well as the Transportation Department. It is important, for safety reasons, that this information stay up to date.

FEES (Pending Board approval in the May Regular Public Meeting):

Fees for bussing vary depending on the type of rider. See descriptions below:

Eligible Riders – home address is within the catchment area & outside of the walk limits for the school the child attends. Addresses must be registered with the school. See district School Locator Tool to identify your catchment school.

Courtesy Riders – home address is within in the catchment area and within the walk limit or outside the catchment area of the school the child attends. 2nd home address must be registered with the school.

Bussing Fee Summary Table

*Parents and caregivers who believe these fees will cause financial hardship in their household are encouraged to speak to their school principal about fee relief. Options may include partial or even full fee waivers, depending on need, which will then be communicated by the principal to the Transportation Department.

WALK LIMITS  

As per Policy 704 walk limits are:

• K - Gr. 7     3.2 KM with the exception of BES, EES and NBES which have a walk limit of 1.5 KM
  
• Gr. 8 - 12    4.8 KM

TIMELINES

April - June 30 only Eligible bus pass applications will be processed, on a first come/first served basis.

• If a bus reaches capacity, an Eligible Rider wait list will be created.  You will be notified if you are put on a wait list. 
  
• Courtesy rider applications received during this time will not be processed until after July 1.
• Exact bus route information will be distributed to families before the first day of school through the My Ride K-12 website and App.
  

July 1st onwards Courtesy, as well as late Eligible bus pass applications, will be processed on a first come/first served basis as space is available on the bus route(s) requested.

• Courtesy riders that are offered a space on the bus will be notified and asked to pay the necessary fees.  When payment is received the application will be finalized. If payment is not made within 5 business days of being offered the space, the application will be re-dated and put back into the queue. 

• If a bus reaches capacity, a wait list will be created. You will be notified if you are put on a wait list. 
  

Applications received after September 1st will be considered on a wait list and only accepted on a first come first served basis as space on busses allow.

BUSSING PROCEDURES

BUS PASS CARDS

• Bus pass cards are mandatory for all students riding to/from school and must be electronically swiped when getting on and off the school bus;
• Without a bus pass, students can be refused transportation on the school bus;
• When a bus pass is issued, it stays with the child  throughout their school years with QSD.
• New or replacement passes are distributed through the school beginning in late August.
• Replacement passes can be obtained by completing the Lost/Replaced Bus Pass Form and paying a $15.00 fee.
  

BUS SCHEDULE

District bus stops and routes are created each year based on student needs and registration information. Families whose applications for bussing are accepted will be notified of their route information before the first day of school via the My Ride K-12 website and App.

• Morning bus - children need to be at the bus stop 10 min. ahead of time.  This means out, at the stop, ready to get on the bus, not in a car. 
• Afternoon bus -  Kindergarten children must be met at the bus stop.
  
  

The Qualicum School District Transportation Department utilizes two methods of communication to communicate emergency or short notice route impact updates including bus cancelations.

• School Messenger service - Opt-in for this communication by texting YES to 978338.
• My Ride K-12 App – please see My Ride K12 Set Up FAQ for instructions 
  

​STUDENT BEHAVIOR ON THE BUS

Any disturbance on the bus is a safety hazard.  Unacceptable behavior includes:

Fighting                               Inappropriate language                 Spitting                                             Vandalism

Littering                              Throwing objects                            Not being properly seated                Roughhousing

Vaping                                 Screaming/yelling unnecessarily

A driver may issue a 'Student Incident Report' for any of the above-mentioned behaviors as well as:

Being late at bus stop                    Leaving bus stop before it is safe              Disrespectful to driver

Failure to produce a bus pass      Refusing to sit in assigned seat                  Distracting the bus driver

If your child is issued a 'Student Incident Report' it must be signed by the parent/guardian and returned to the bus driver before the student can ride the bus.

LOADING AND UNLOADING

Students must wait in a safe location at the bus stop and not approach the school bus until it comes to a complete stop and the bus driver opens the door indicating it is safe to board.

The school district uses the 'Baltimore System' for the loading and unloading of passengers.

Loading Students:

Where a bus pull-off is provided:

1. Bus pulls into loading zone and clear of traffic.
   
2. Takes on students without using red flashing lights or 4-way flashers.
   

Where a bus pull-off is not provided:

1. Bus stays in own lane.
2. Bus uses overhead flashing lights and takes on students

Unloading Students:

Where a bus pull-off is provided:

1. Bus pulls into loading zone, without any lights flashing.
2. Students unload and stay by the roadside; bus leaves; students disperse when safe.

Where a Bus Pull-off is not provided:

1. Bus stops in own lane; uses overhead flashing lights.
2. Students unload and stay by the roadside; bus leaves; students disperse when safe.

INCLEMENT WEATHER ROUTES

In an effort to ensure student and staff safety during inclement weather the Transportation Department has created modified bus routes to be utilized on days where the district determines inclement weather has made some roads in our service area unsafe for bus traffic.

Once Inclement Weather Routes for the year have been finalized, they will be posted on the QSD Transportation Department website.

Approximately 60 of our bus stops are located in areas that we have determined may become unsafe to access with a school bus in inclement weather conditions. This process allows us to provide an alternate stop for those families served by those stops at a safe location as nearby as possible to the original stop.

Should a day occur where snow or ice create unsafe road conditions for bussing, the Transportation Department will communicate to bussing families that inclement weather routes will be utilized to keep everyone safe while attempting to get everyone to school. This communication would go out via email, text and My Ride K-12 App as early as possible to bussing families for each day of the school year when these conditions are deemed to exist. This will enable families to get students to their designated alternate inclement weather stop, rather than their regular stop, in time for the school bus.